1. Field
The present disclosure relates to flow devices, more specifically to fuel nozzles and other flow devices including internal flow passages.
2. Description of Related Art
Certain flow devices having complex internal passages are additively manufactured. A downside of the existing methods for producing such flow devices (e.g., fuel nozzles) by means of additive manufacturing (e.g., Laser Powder Bed Fusion) is that internal passages are created with a poor surface finish. Surface asperities reduce metal fatigue properties and increase surface roughness which affects fuel flow uniformity. There are existing surface finishing techniques such as hydrohoning, electrochemical and magneto rheological processes, and their derivatives, however, such traditional surface finishing techniques are not effective for achieving the required surface finish of complex internal passages.
Such conventional methods and systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for improved methods for manufacturing flow devices and flow devices with improved surface finish of internal flow passages. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.